Bomb kills Egyptian police officer

CAIRO - A senior Egyptian police officer was killed when a bomb exploded under his car outside his home near Cairo on Wednesday, state television and a security source said.

Brigadier-General Ahmed Zaki was killed in the explosion in 6th of October City, 32 km (20 miles) from the capital, the state-run Nile news TV station reported.

Bombings and shootings targeting the police have become commonplace in Egypt since the army deposed president Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood last July.

Egypt holds a presidential election in late May which former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win. Sisi, who deposed Morsi following mass protests against his rule, has vowed to crush the militant threat.